Snacker Time

For years now I've wanted to take a good photo of the ewes and lambs being fed by the quad and snacker. Riding on the back of a quad and taking photos was my idea a couple of years ago and it was a bit hit and miss (mostly miss). But then, one morning while my dad and I were checking the sheep, it hit me...

...use the tractor! Dad created what he calls his "man bucket" with an old loader bucket and some strips of metal. It turns whichever tractor it's attached to into a cherry picker. I've used it once before for photos but it was about four years ago.

I asked Dad to lift the tractor loader to its highest - which was pretty high! Thankfully it wasn't too windy, or I might have been too scared to move.

The sheep were curious about what I was up to. Dad left me while he went to fetch the quad and snacker.

I couldn't resist a selfie!

I chose this morning to do this as the sky was beautifully blue with gorgeous clouds coming over the mountains.

Hello down there!

Iris and her lambs from an unusual angle.

Dad arrived with the snacker and the flock made a bee-line for him!

(This photo was my favourite and so I sent it into three newspapers, all of which printed it. Hooray!)

The ewes and lambs distracted, Dad was free to go and check the other fields without getting mobbed.

To my surprise some of the sheep peeled off to follow the quad over to the lamb feeder.

Then, minutes later, they came back.

As the sheep nuts were almost all gone the flock dispersed.

They didn't even seem to notice I was there - not used to looking up, I suppose.

It was a beautiful view.

Half-faced lamb and her mummy.

Some of the sheep followed the trail into the next field.

It was a thrilling experience to be up so high, and I was grinning from ear to ear the whole time, but solid ground is great too!